Heroes: Bringing It Together…That’s What Counts

Heroes, it’s good to have you back. Though, I could have dealt without a two hour dose. My personal gripe didn’t have a lot to do with the story, so I guess that’s a good thing. But seriously? Fifteen minutes in and credits are still rolling. A little absurd, no? Alright, I’m done whining. On with the show!

“It’s like someone took a shabu spoon and scrambled up his fanboy brain!” – Ando
Hiro is in his own little storybook tale where everyone only speaks in comic book jargon. He teleports back to Japan and ends up back at Yamagato Industries where Ando is there to welcome him home, though he quickly realizes something is wrong. Kimiko wants to get Hiro in with the top neurosurgeon, but Ando believes that Hiro is using “fantasy” clues to tell them something important. He finally figures out that all signs point to heading to the Riverdale Psychiatric Facility in Florida. (I want to take back my comments from previous posts about not missing Ando that much, because he really does breathe a ton of life into all of Hiro’s storylines and Masi Oka’s scenes. And I enjoyed his realization that his destiny is to be a sidekick. It’s true that every hero needs one.) We know that the psych ward is where Hiro last left Mohinder, and we also know that they escape at some point so I was confused why so much time was spent on this storyline. Why do the writers have to always place Hiro on all the random, absurd tangents? He IS the only actor on the show to be nominated for both a Golden Globe and Emmy!

“Freedom is what you do with what’s been done to you.” – Claire
Samuel gets Lydia to play a little chess for him, using Claire as a pawn. He, then, goes to Emma’s place to coax her into helping his cause. He’s looking for a guy with abilities, named Ian Michaels, who he says “fell through the cracks”. Of course, she’s confused as to what she can do to help, but he gets her attention by telling her that he’s the one who sent the cello. (I flashed back to Peter being drawn to her music in the part earlier in the season.) Her powers include being able to play a siren song for heroes! Samuel uses Emma’s emotions and convinces her to help him find Ian. It’s a beautiful sight when the scared, weathered man is drawn to Emma and ends up making a withered tree blossom in the winter.

“Enemy of my enemy makes us…less antagonistic.” – Noah
Noah picks up on Edgar following him and decides to get the drop on him instead. He asks for the Iron Maiden’s (Lauren’s) help to get information about Samuel and the carnival. (She used to be a hardcore torturer back in the day.) However, the “hands-on” approach isn’t working, and Lauren asks him to really think about why Edgar is there and not at the carnival and especially why he has no compass to find his way back. Noah takes her advice, and the two bond over their mutual desire to stop Samuel’s nefarious plans. But when Edgar realizes that Noah doesn’t care about protecting his family or his home, he escapes and vows to stop Noah at all costs. He even swipes all the useful Intel he offered up.

“I always thought freedom was just another word for nothing left to lose.” – Samuel
At the carnival, Claire starts to smell some of Samuel’s B.S., especially after seeing some Primatech files in his trailer. (Fun fact: When she does, she finds a picture of Samuel and Joseph, a map of a valley and Parkman’s, Sylar’s, Claire’s, Nathan’s, Eden’s, and D.L.’s files.) While Samuel’s away, Claire will play, and she makes it her mission to get in. Samuel put Eli on guard duty, but even though she eventually evades him, she gets caught by The Puppet Master. (Doyle’s ability is one of the few true foils to Claire’s invincibility.) He wants to protect his new family, where he’s learned to be a better person. (A better person that will control anyone who doesn’t agree with him, but better…)

After pleading her case, of Samuel hiding something that could put their home in jeopardy, Doyle frees her and sends her to Lydia to get some answers. (I’m glad that they didn’t overplay Claire’s naiveté or self-discovery. The girl has been dismembered and killed. She can start acting like an adult already!) She takes charge by interrogating Lydia, discovering that Samuel killed Joseph and confronting him tête-à-tête.

Samuel never seems to waver, though, even if Claire doesn’t know that yet. It’s like his next step is always in queue. When she confronts him, he’s all ready and prepped to show her a small part of his plan. He asks Ian to create their own little oasis in the desert. It’s the reason he’s bringing heroes together; to make a beautiful, grassy knoll of a new home. Claire still wants to get out of Dodge as soon as possible because she already has a home, and she realizes that the carnival isn‘t it. Sadly, that home is now missing one of two fathers. With messages from Noah and Peter, she gets the grim news and attends Nathan’s funeral. (Quickly and awkwardly explained away by a mysterious, solo plane crash.)

“I used to think he was just being a big brother and he was picking on me. But now I understand. He just wanted me to be ready… for anything. I’m ready, brother. For whatever comes.” – Peter
I needed me some Peter on a mission. He is hottest when he’s determined. I thought that’s what I would get this episode, but then they threw in Nathan’s funeral, and he turned into Debbie Downer. Noah didn’t get to attend the reception because Claire can’t stand to look at him for what he did and how he lied to her. Angela realizes she also won’t be much help to Peter, who for all his empathy is unable to mourn his brother’s death. So she sends Claire to help reel him in. He’s ready to go after Sylar and put his life in danger, all in the name of revenge and anger. He even runs into a hostage situation, and though he does save the day by getting the gun from the gunman, he also gets shot. Claire wonders if she should heal him or let him think about the choices he’s making and chances he’s taking, but where would she be without her uncle (who she creepily has fantastic on-screen chemistry with) so of course she heals him. But she makes him promise to not do anything crazy. Riiiiiiight?

“I see what you want. I got your power. I don’t need to kill. That’s just something I like to do.” – Sylar
Sylar also makes it back to the carnival where he realizes that he’s, now, an impotent killer. Lydia uses her powers of seduction to discern that the reason Sylar has been unable to kill is because of his very human emotion of loneliness. Hiro’s tale of a future, where Sylar would die alone, really hit the baddie hard. Samuel tries to convince him to stay at the carnival and be a member of the family, but after he allows Sylar to see his true path with the magic ink, he discovers it leads away from the carnies and right to Claire, who’s, then, safely back at college.

WRAP IT UP
So I wouldn’t say the plot moved very much, but at least the two hours were spent getting our heroes together and calling everyone to action. Sure, they’re not all on the same mission just yet, but they will be soon.

Season 4, Episodes 13 & 14: Upon This Rock and Let It Bleed (originally aired January 4, 2010)

For more on Heroes, click here.

Mondays at 9/8C on NBC

Photographs courtesy of NBC and Chris Haston